Winchester Pre-64 1894 94 SRC Carbine 20″ .30-30 WCF Lever Rifle, 1902 C&R
SOLD FOR: $976
WOA#: WY240326CM080
Make: Winchester Repeating Arms
Model: 1894 Saddle Ring Carbine
Serial Number: 251506
Year of Manufacture: 1902
Caliber: .30-30 Winchester Center Fire (WCF)
Action Type: This rifle has a lever action with a full-length tubular magazine.
Markings: The left of the barrel is marked “NICKEL STEEL BARREL / ESPECIALLY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER”, the top is marked “MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / -NEW HAVEN CONN. U.S.A. PATENTED AUGUST 21. 1894.-” in front of the rear sight and behind the rear sight with “30 W.C.F.”. The front underside of the receiver is marked “251506”. The top tang is marked “MODEL 1894 / -WINCHESTER- / TRADE MARK”.
Barrel Length: 20″
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade pinned to a slotted base fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a three-position folding leaf sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. The rear leaf is marked “50”, the front is marked “2” (200 yards), the middle leaf is broken off. The top tang is drilled and tapped for a tang sight (none present).
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are 2-piece smooth walnut with banded forend, straight grip, straight comb and steel carbine-style buttplate. The stocks have a few light nicks and scratches. There is a small fill in the belly toward the toe. There is a repaired crack below the comb on the right starting at the rear of the top tang. There is a crack in the right-front of the forend. There is a loss in the left-front of the wrist at the top. There is discoloration at the rear edge of the forend. The wood is generally shy to the metal. The LOP measures 13″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has worn to white showing scattered discoloration from oxidation and residue from the stock’s new finish. Overall, the stocks are in Good condition as refinished and repaired.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is gray. The rifling is worn, but visible. There is light erosion scattered through the bore with some minor pitting, mostly in the grooves. In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates 5 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 7% of its metal finish. The surfaces have mostly worn to white with finish remaining in protected areas such as the bottom tang around the trigger and around the saddle ring. There is scattered surface erosion along the right. There is a notable dent in the magazine tube on the bottom-left about 4″ behind the front band. There are some light nicks, scuffs and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings range from clear to worn, but legible. Overall, this rifle is in about Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety and a lever-safety. The trigger is crisp. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 1894 rifle followed the other John Browning designed lever action rifles to become one of the most famous and popular hunting rifles of all time. It was the first commercial sporting rifle to sell over 7,000,000 units, making the name “Winchester” synonymous with all lever action rifles. It was also the first commercial American repeating rifle built to be used with smokeless powder. It was introduced in 1894 in two black powder cartridges, the .32-40 and .38-55 Win. rounds, but by the next year Winchester had developed a different steel composition that could handle higher pressures, and the .30-30 Win. family of cartridges was born. This is a Winchester Model 1894 saddle ring carbine made in 1902 with a 20” round barrel and chambered in .30-30 WCF. The 1894 Carbine chambered for .30-30 has become almost synonymous with “deer rifle”, and it looks like this example was someone’s trusty hunting companion. This saddle ring carbine would make a nice display as-is with its “been there, done that” appearance. It would also be a good candidate for restoration. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
